


But what's the appeal?

by MiriRainbowitz



Category: Emelan - Tamora Pierce, PIERCE Tamora - Works
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexuality, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-26
Updated: 2012-10-26
Packaged: 2017-11-17 02:17:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/546542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiriRainbowitz/pseuds/MiriRainbowitz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rosethorn has heard of people like Tris- people who don't see the appeal of sex or romance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But what's the appeal?

**Author's Note:**

> This story is probably wildly inaccurate in regards to Rosethorn's and Tris's characters and timeline, but whatever. I think it gets the point across that Tris is ace, which is the point I'm trying to make.

Rosethorn had met Yarra Windstone when she first moved to Winding Circle. At that point, Yarra was an iron-haired, stern- faced fifty-something woman to Rosethorn's twenty-four years, and frankly, a bit intimidating. She owned a farm where she raised goats, taking care of them like they were her own children. Rosethorn had wondered why Yarra didn't ask her husband or children to take care of the goats, but never got up the courage to ask the woman herself.

One day, however, the question was answered for her. She and Yarra had been talking, and Yarra complained that she didn't trust her goats with her nephew, who was set to inherit her farm when she died. Rosethorn had asked why none of her children would inherit, and Yarra said, "Because I don't have any children."

Rosethorn was a bit surprised. "Why not?", she asked.

"Because I never married," replied Yarra.

Rosethorn was shocked. She may not be married herself, but that didn't stop her from having a relationship with Lark, nor from experiencing the joy and fulfillment a relationship brought. At that moment she kind of pitied Yarra.

The pity must have been evident on her face, because Yarra chuckled. "I see you pity me. You shouldn't," she said.

"Why not?", Rosethorn replied.

"Because I've never wanted a relationship," said Yarra. "Don't look at me like that, it's true. I've never been interested in anyone, either for their body or their companionship. You may feel...completed by your relationships, but I've never felt that lack of completion. I'm perfectly happy by myself, raising my goats," she said with a smile.

Rosethorn hadn't entirely believed her, but when she was back at Discipline, she reflected on what Yarra had said, and the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. Yarra had never seemed unhappy in all the time she knew her.

The next time Rosethorn went to talk with Yarra, she asked her if there was a word for what she was. Yarra had said that she'd never come across a word to describe her lack of interest in anybody, but said that she'd just called herself "uninterested", which was certainly an apt description.

 

* * *

 

Rosethorn had never really interacted with Tris much. Part of that was because of Tris's acerbic nature, and the other part was because she was Niko's responsibility, not her's. However, one summer day, she found herself sitting on Discipline's roof with Tris, who had stopped by for a brief visit. She and Tris had initially been watching Chime fly around, glinting in the sun, but when Chime flew away to do whatever living glass dragons do in their spare time, she and Tris had taken to just sitting on the roof, watching the sky.

After a while, their peace was disturbed by the sound of two people kissing very noisily. Rosethorn looked over at Tris to see her watching the couple kiss with an expression of mixed puzzlement and disgust on her face. Rosethorn herself could understand the disgust- the couple was really being obnoxious- but the puzzlement left her wondering about why it was even there in the first place.

Rosethorn decided that enough was enough when the couple started making moves to take off each other's clothes. "Hey!" she yelled. "You may want to see each other buck naked, but I certainly do *not*!" To Rosethorn's satisfaction, the couple high-tailed it out of there in less than a minute.

After a few minutes, Rosethorn decided that it was time to get back to work, but just as she was about to get off the roof, she heard Tris mumble, "I still don't get it."

Rosethorn turned around. "What don't you get?", she asked.

"Why they were kissing," replied Tris. "I- what even is the appeal of it?"

Rosethorn turned around and sat down next to Tris. "Y'know, a friend of mine had the same question," she said. Tris looked up at her with curiosity in her eyes. "Her name was Yarra," said Rosethorn. "She was never interested in relationships the way most everyone else is."

"Really?", asked Tris.

"Really," replied Rosethorn. "When I asked, she just described herself as uninterested."

"So...my lack of interest in anybody doesn't make me a freak? Cause other people think I'm a freak, or it's just a phase I'll grow out of."

"I don't think this makes you a freak. After all, there are people who like both sexes. Why can't there be people who like neither?"

**Author's Note:**

> In this story, both Tris and Yarra are aromantic aces. I know there are other types of aces, but I felt it would be simpler if they were both aromantic aces.


End file.
